How to be happy though human / by W. Béran Wolfe.
162/400
143 (canvas 163)
The image contains the following text:
not exist. One route is shorter, one is more picturesque,
and one avoids a great many iittle towns with crooked
and rough streets. You make your decision according to
the objective assets or liabilities of each route. If you are
in a hurry to see your wife, you take route one ; if you
wish to avoid traffic, you take route three ; and if you
are showing a foreigner the beauties of England you
choose route two. Such an objective choice of several
possible courses is not possible in the case of a psychic
conflict.
Let us take a common example from the world of sex.
Helen D. is in love with two men. Both have asked her
to marry them. Mr. A. has all the physical attractiveness
of a living Adonis, and comes from a good family, but
Helen knows that he is irresistible to other women and
gravely doubts his future constancy. Mr. B. is not so
handsome but he is more “ solid He has an excellent
position, and he is the soul of honour. Helen doubts
whether he has as much zest for life, and knows that he
has less of a sense of humour than Mr, A. She has
never fallen in love before, and her parents are very
anxious that she should make a decision and marry.
Both men are equally good prospects in her parents* eyes
and they have made no attempt to influence her choice.
What shall Helen do ? Here is a real conflict of emotions
and feelings.
If we look more closely at her past life we shall see
that she has been a very spoiled child, accustomed to
allow others to make her decisions for her. She is socially
very attractive because of her beautiful body and her
grace. She is vain about her looks and ambitious about
her future. Her goal is to shine, to be the centre of
attention wherever she moves. From the standpoint of
future security, Mr. B. is the better risk, while Mr. A.
would appear to better advantage in full dress at the
theatre. On the one hand, she cannot bear to have her
future husband consider any other woman but herself ;
on the other, she demands sufficient financial security to
enable her to entertain without any thought of the cost.